Frizzle Fry

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Released on the independent Caroline label in 1990, Frizzle Fry documents the San Francisco Bay area thrash-funk trio at its energetic best. The bare-bones production serves the group's skeletal sound well and makes the most of nearly live performances of gems such as the antiwar "Too Many Puppies," the stoner testimony of "Spegetti Western," and the madcap litany of "Groundhog's Day." Larry LaLonde's guitar is more melodic and concise than the squirrelly avant-gardisms of later albums such as Pork Soda (many of the lines were written by original guitarist Todd Huth). Bassist Les Claypool, meanwhile, is just stunning. By turns sounding like a scrappy Larry Graham or a dirty-minded John Wetton, his four-string slaps, slurs, and squeaks form a perfect union with drummer Tim Alexander's jazz-informed power beats. Claypool's goofy vocals owe a lot to P.I.L.-era John Lydon, with lyrics about Corn Chex, striped bass, and porn films. An inspired and assured studio debut. --James Rotondi --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

To Defy the Laws of Tradition
Groundhog's Day
Too Many Puppies
Mr. Know It All
Frizzle Fry
John the Fisherman
You Can't Kill Michael Malloy - Winegar, Matt
The Toys Go Winding Down
Pudding Time
Sathington Willoby
Spegetti Western
Harold of the Rocks
To Defy
Helly Skinny/Constantinople (bonus track)

Amazon.com

Released on the independent Caroline label in 1990, Frizzle Fry documents the San Francisco Bay area thrash-funk trio at its energetic best. The bare-bones production serves the group's skeletal sound well and makes the most of nearly live performances of gems such as the antiwar "Too Many Puppies," the stoner testimony of "Spegetti Western," and the madcap litany of "Groundhog's Day." Larry LaLonde's guitar is more melodic and concise than the squirrelly avant-gardisms of later albums such as Pork Soda (many of the lines were written by original guitarist Todd Huth). Bassist Les Claypool, meanwhile, is just stunning. By turns sounding like a scrappy Larry Graham or a dirty-minded John Wetton, his four-string slaps, slurs, and squeaks form a perfect union with drummer Tim Alexander's jazz-informed power beats. Claypool's goofy vocals owe a lot to P.I.L.-era John Lydon, with lyrics about Corn Chex, striped bass, and porn films. An inspired and assured studio debut. --James Rotondi

Customer Reviews:

If you're a bass or drum player...CHECK THIS OUT!!!.......2006-04-27

I'm a big fan of Rush especially Neil Peart's FABULOUS drummin'! And then there's Geddy, the bass legend. Take those 2 sentences but replace Neil and Geddy with Herb and Les. These guys are kick-a** musicians (not to discredit Ler)! I've heard this and STSOC, and this one is a hell-of-alot better. Songs like "To Defy the Laws of Tradition", "Mr. Knowitall", the title track, and "Pudding Time" really show that this is TRULY Primus' best effort by far. If you dig Rush (like me; note: the only Rush CDs I don't have are "Rush", "Fly By Night", and "Vapor Trails") the you'll DRILL "El Primuso"!

Their best.......2006-03-16

Or maybe sailing the seas of cheese is? but either way it doesn't matter because they are both great. Primus are both extremely talented and extremely unique and anyone who likes weird music should check out this album because they're a great crazy band and this is a great crazy album. Best songs are groundhogs day, frizzle fry, john the fisherman and harold of the rocks. Buy this album.

There's a Joke or Two, a Pun or Three, A Review That Must be Told!.......2006-01-10

This is my 200th review and so I thought I should make it special, so what better CD to review than Frizzle Fry? This is Thee Primus Masterpiece. Now granted, I don't have all the Primus albums, but it tops those that I do have. All the songs are unique, grabbing and there isn't any filler. On Amazon, it's very difficult for an album to get an average of five stars and this one deserves each and every one of them. This album grabs you in some way with every song, even the slow ones.

1. To Defy the Laws of Tradition 10/10:an instantly addictive opener once it hits the 50 second mark, and shows off Larry Lalonde's guitar skills and reminds you that he was used to be in the Death Metal band Possessed. Great lyrics and bass from Les as well.
2. Groundhog's Day 9/10: The beginning is a little slow, but it's just the buildup to the 2:50 mark, this song shows no mercy and Lalonde is playing with the guitar like it was a mere toy.
3. Too Many Puppies 10/10: a song about how the youth can be corrupted and so forth by being put in the military and/or brainwashed. Instantly addictive music.
4. Mr. Knowitall 10/10: I can't help but feel that this song was about a specific person that Les knew. The lyrics are priceless and the once again, the music is flawless.
5. Frizzle Fry 10/10: Nevermind that the lyrics seem to shift from a strange world to lyrics about not believing in holograms and so forth and then shift again to an instrumental for the last half. This song is fun, relaxing and powerful. Primus songs don't have to make sense but they are always interesting.
6. John the Fisherman 10/10: The first of the three fisherman chronicles, this song is the best of them all, though it sounds upbeat, it is a little depressing but it's not at the same time because of its music and the overall theme.
7. You Can't Kill Michael Malloy 2/5: Whoa? That is this? Most Primus albums feature interludes and Frizzle Fry is no exception. It's 25 seconds, but it's relaxing and actually rather humorous if you see the video on their concert DVD where they stretch it out to 2 and a half minutes.
8. The Toys go Winding Down 8/10: a very, very relaxing song that rocks me to sleep during car rides.
9. Pudding Time 10/10: FAST! Hinted at during the previous song, it's Pudding Time Children.
10. Sathington Willoughby 4/5: another interlude, this one at least features lyrics and an upright bass.
11. Spegetti Western 7/10: Probably the worst actual song on the album, the beginning with Les's crazy lyrics that are more of a depressed rant than actual lyrics are the best part of the song. It then becomes more or a repetitive instrumental but if you are in the right state of relaxed mind, this song is awesome, but that doesn't happen as it should.
12. Harold of the Rocks 8/10: Larry Lalonde's bluesy guitar solo amazes me every time I hear this song but the overall song and lyrics are not are great as pervious songs found on this amazing album.
13. To Defy 4/5: A Short Instrumental/Interlude that serves as an outro. It's a part of the first song but played backwards and with more drums, this one too, should have been longer.
14. Hello Skinny/Constantinople 9/10: The bonus song is actually made up of two songs originally performed by The Residents. Honestly I think this double Cover is way better than the originals. Les Claypool's voice fits the songs better than the originals and the music is just better and the Constantinople song is much heavier than the original.

Alright now I may have given this album a lot of 10/10 ratings, but that's only because these songs deserve it. This is an amazing album simply put. Just buy it, and listen to it yourself, you'll be come hooked instantly. I feel that Primus appeals more so towards people who are musicians and have a weird sense of humor. If you have these two things, then Primus is the band for you, especially if you play Bass. Hoped this review helped and buy Frizzle Fry, you won't regret.

wow, they once ruled.......2005-12-18

The first Primus cd I purchased was actually Pork Soda,released a few years after this album was made. After listening several times, my lasting impression was basically a joke band with and outstanding bassist, but an inability to write great songs. Pork Soda is very good, but also very inconsistent and to weird for its own good at times. Frizzle Fry is so much different. I wish this was my first impression of the band. Frizzle Fry is a commanding, bass driven masterpiece of metal(yes,metal.) This is not only Primus at their heaviest but also at their peak in songwriting,something that faultered later in their career. This album like no other primus piece is listenable and addicting from beginning to end. No nonsense, just balls to the wall heavy bass pounding thrash style metal. They never came off this ballsy again. Frizzle Fry is the best,timeless classic.

Quirky but energetic bass romps from Claypool and friends.......2005-11-20

One of the goofiest yet outstanding bands I ever heard on the college radio at NMSU was Primus. I nearly got to see them, but more on that later. Les Claypool's thundering electric and string bass is complimented with some downright catchy stomping punk-metal riffs by Larry LaLonde, quirky and goofy lyrics, and supporting percussion by Tim Alexander, which didn't make Primus the Les Claypool Experience.

Just from the title, "To Defy The Laws of Tradition" is a winner, while asking some interesting questions, such as who is worse, someone who murders someone, or someone who decided not to pay the taxman coming to town? A witty lyric that is a howler is why do brides wear virgin white? Most do not deserve that right." So, what should they wear, sl-t silver or already-slept aquamarine? The song cuts in midsection with some quirky bassing and Les's vocal mumblings, before going back full force.

Two songs here can be considered classic Primus. One, possibly my favourite Primus song, is the manic grind stomp of "Too Many Puppies," which I initially considered a triumph of crazy style, especially with that ringing triangle. However, on closer examination, it's a sober look at the effects militarization has on the youth. One lyric in particular made me shake my head in wonder, as it predicted the Gulf War-this album was released February 1990: "too many puppies are trained not to bark at the sight of blood that must be spilled that we may maintain our oil fields." Maintain our oil field...gee, didn't something like this happen, uh, two years ago?

The other is "John The Fisherman" the story of how a boy somehow knew that catching fish was his destiny, feeling "alienated by clique society" and grew up to be an ocean fisherman. Primus would later continue the adventures of John in other songs in at least Sailing the Seas of Cheese and Pork Soda.

For sheer goofiness, how about "Mr. Knowitall," either some presumptious ivory-tower resident, or fancy poser. But catch that funny lyric at the end: "They call me Mr. Knowitall, I am so eloquent, Perfection is my middle name, and whatever rhymes with eloquent."

The metaphor of "Groundhog's Day," of the groundhog seeing his shadow, plays a part in the weary protagonist, who finally decides to go out and be that "big man in the public eye," i.e. forget that bad sensation, described as "an ice cold bath" when he discovered "you had to pay to play." In other words, no six more weeks of winter-spring starts now!

The churning slowed down grunge of the title track, sounding what Metallica would later toy around with on their black album presents some weird visual imagery and some bizarre pairings: "I don't believe in pinochle...I do believe in Captain Crunch." So who or what is the Frizzle Fry? Too weird to contemplate, but amusing nevertheless.

The frantic "Pudding Time" shows how money can buy things like sweets or material things, but happiness is something that can't be bought like the distractions that seem to make us content. Things like fish dying or happiness can't be replaced: "laughter is a sweet you can't put a price on. When laughter's all gone, daddy won't buy you anymore."

In early January 1992, before the onset of the new semester, Primus was opening for Rush on their Roll The Bones tour. Because the closest seat was way in the back, I decided not to plunk down the already reduced rate for students. Today, I look back on that and kick myself, because I missed the opportunity to catch two really great bands. Frizzle Fry is a great debut album, but I prefer to go Sailing the Seas of Cheese.

Average customer rating:

Frizzle Fry
Primus
Manufacturer: Caroline Records/Emi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Funk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DQAV
Release Date: 1990-08-28

Average customer rating:

If you're a bass or drum player...CHECK THIS OUT!!!
Their best
There's a Joke or Two, a Pun or Three, A Review That Must be Told!
wow, they once ruled
Quirky but energetic bass romps from Claypool and friends

Frizzle Fry
Primus
Manufacturer: Caroline
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Funk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Metal | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Rock | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Funk | R&B | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Sailing the Seas of Cheese
Pork Soda
Antipop
Tales From the Punchbowl
Suck on This

ASIN: B000000HT5
Release Date: 1990-05-31

Tracks:

To Defy The Laws Of Tradition
Ground Hog`s Day
Too Many Puppies
Mr. Knowitall
Frizzle Fry
John The Fisherman
You Can`t Kill Michael Malloy
The Toys Go Winding Down
Pudding Time
Sathington Willoby
Spegetti Western
Harold Of The Rocks
To Defy

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

If you're a bass or drum player...CHECK THIS OUT!!!.......2006-04-27

Their best.......2006-03-16

There's a Joke or Two, a Pun or Three, A Review That Must be Told!.......2006-01-10

wow, they once ruled.......2005-12-18

Quirky but energetic bass romps from Claypool and friends.......2005-11-20

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